Strain device



STRAJN DEVICE Filed Jan. 4, 1935 2 Sheets-Shse l May 2l, 1935.

STRAN DEVGE '2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed.

l larly intended for use where the clevises are not pose. 'I'his cross arm is secured to the polo by 15 Patented May 21, 1935 Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Herbert E. Miller, Allentown, Pa., asslgnor to Utilities Service Company, Inc., Allentown, Pa., a corporation o! Pennsylvania Application January 4, 1933, Serial No. 650,153

6 Claims. (Cl. 248-31) This invention relates to strain devices, and Figure `2 is an enlarged face view ci' the device, more particularly to a strain device adapted for Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Figure 1, general application such, for example, as a strain Figure 4 is an edge elevation ci the device, insulator clevis, pipe hanger, etc. Figure 5 is a sectional view showing the device 5 In my copending application Serial No. 636,565, in elevation employed as a pipe hanger, 5

filed October 6, 1932, I have disclosed various Figure 6 is a detailed perspective view of a forms oi' strain insulator clevises each embodying shim employed in connection with the device and,

a ilexible insulator embracing member and a two Figure 7 is a detailed section on line l-l of piece yoke member'having arms secured to the Figure 5.

10 ends ofthe flexible member. In each instance, In Figures 1 to 4 inclusive the device has been l0 the two elements oi' the yoke member have interillustrated as a strain insulator clevis. Referring fitting or inter-engaging portions which serve to Figure l, the numeral i0 designates a supportto anchor the elements against movement with ing pole oi any of the usual types to which is respect to each other. Such clevises are particuconnected a cross arm Ii for any desired purrig'idly connected to supports such as poles or suitable bolts one of which is illustrated and desthe like. ignated by the numeral l2. The bolt carries a An important object oi the present invention is head I3 at one end and a nut i4 at the other, to provide a strain device capable of general apas shown in Figure 1. plication'and more particularly to stationary in- The device forming the subject matter of the 20 stallations as in the case of a strain insulator present invention comprises a nexible body I5 clevis, pipe hanger or the like, wherein installapreferably formed of stranded cable wherein the tion may be quickly and readily accomplished. strands are formed of steel wire copper coated to A further object is to provide an insulator protect them from rust or corrosion. The flexible clevis oi the same general character as the clevises member normally occupies the position shown in 25 disclosed in my copending application referred Figure 2 including straight parallel arms i6 conto except that the present construction is parnected byacurved portion I1. The flexible memticularly adapted for use where the clevis is to be ber is adapted to embrace a strain insulator il maintained in fixed relationshipwith respect to to which is connected a wire of the usual type i8. a support such as a pole, A yoke indicated as a whole by the numeral 30 A further object is to provide a device of the I9 forms a part of the insulator Clovis and iS character referred to wherein a rigid two piece formedof separate pieces 2li and 2|. The yoke yoke is employed and is adapted to be secured to a members include arms 23 and 24 respectively xed support, and wherein the means for se. which diverge toward the ends oi' the cable arms Curing the device to the support is operative for Il and have their extremities preferably butt 35 securing the elements oi' the yoke in iixed relawelded to the extremities oi the arms i6. The tionship with respect to each other. yoke member 20 includes a head 25 having a Aiurther objectisto provideastrain device emcentral opening 23 through Which the bolt l2 bodying a two piece yoke one oi which is provided extends- The head 25 1S further Provided With 40 with an opening or recess adapted te receive e, a recess radially oiiset from and communicating 40 portion of the other yoke element to prevent with the Opening n for 9' purpos? t0 be describedmovement oi the yoke elements laterally with re- The yoke member 2| is provlded with a' lug spect to the line oi' pull on the device, and to portion n corespotdmg in Shape to and adapt 4,. provide novel means for utilizing the element ed to be recewed m the opening. 21 The lug 0 portion 2B is offset from the adJacent end oi 45 which secures the device to the desired support for preventing movement of the yoke elements thihirgegrcle fslu gco g'xt longitudinally with respect to the line of puii. ag

a shoulder 30 engageable with the nut i4. The Other objects and advantages of the invention arms n and u are preferably slightly cut away Wm become apparent during the Course 0f the at their inner portions adjacent the head 25 50 following description. as at 3l to form shoulders adapted to lie against In the drawings I have shown two embodiments the nut |4 to prevent rotation thereof. of the invention. In this showing: In Figures 5, 6 and 7 the device has been illus- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device shown trated for use as a pipe hanger. The principal in position with respect to a supporting pole, elements oi the device may be identical with 55 the corresponding elements previously referred to and accordingly such elements have been designated by the same refernce numerals. Referring to Figure 5, it will be noted that the device is arranged in vertical position when used as a pipe hanger and the bolt I2 is of a suitable nature to extend through a horizontal support 32. The head 25 seats against the lower face of the support 32, as shown, and the nut I4 retains the yoke elements in proper position.

One or more pipes may be supported by the device, and in Figure 5, one pipe 33 has been shown arranged within the flexible memberI5. A suitable preferably metallic shim 34 forms a seat for the pipe.

substantially semi-circular portion I3G fitting within the loop portion of the flexible member 5I. Adjacent their upper ends, the arms 35 are provided with inwardly stamped lips 31 which straddle the opposite arms I6 of the flexible member to prevent displacement ,of the shim laterally with respect to the supports. The lips 31 may be bent inwardly intoV engagement with the arms I6 of the flexible member as shown in Figure 7.

The operation of the form of the device shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive is as follows:

With the parts of the yoke separated, the flexibility of the cable section I5 permits the yoke elements to be separated whereby the insulator I1 readily may be placed in position within the cable. The yoke elements are then moved toward each other with the lug element 28 arranged inwardly of the head 25, until the lug element is in alinement with the opening k21, whereupon it is inserted in such opening. With the parts in this position, it will be apparent that the walls of the opening 21, engaging the surfaces of the lug element 28, will prevent outward movement thereof.

The device is then ready to be placed in position with respect to the pole I0, and as previously stated, the bolt I2 may be employed for this purpose. However, it will be apparent that the device may be directly connected to the pole I Il instead of to the cross arm II, and it also will be apparent that a separate bolt may be used for securing the clevis to the pole. In either case, however, the device is placed in position with respect to the pole after the elements have been assembled in the manner described, whereupon the bolt I2 is inserted and tightened in position. This bolt obviously serves the purpose of holding the clevis rigidly in operative position by engagement between the nut I4 and the adjacent face of the head 25. At the same time, the nut I4 engages the shoulder 30 to prevent movement of the lug velement 28 out of its opening 21. When the bolt I2 is in position it engages the adjacent face of the lug element 28 thus preventing radlally inward movement of the lug element, and accordingly the bolt I2 and the walls of the opening 21 cooperate to prevent movement of the lug element 28 in any direction in a plane at right angles to the line of pull on the insulator. Movement of the lug element and its associated yoke member longitudinally of the line of pull obviously is prevented by the nut I4. Thus it will be apparent that this nut serves the double purpose of securing the clevis in position with respect to the fixed support and at the same time fixes the yoke members 20 and 2| against movement with respect to each other. The device is very simple in construction and is readily. assembled This shim is substantially U-shaped and includes vertical arms 35 connected by av and applied without the use of special tools of any ind.

The operation of the form of the invention shown in Figures 5, 6 and '1 will be obvious from the foregoing description. One or more pipes may be supported within the flexible member I5 and the bolt I2 serves to support the device to carry the weight of the pipe, while the head of the bolt I4 seats against both the head 25 and projection 28 to anchor these elements in proper operative positions. The shim 34 is not essential to the operation of the device but its use is preferred for the reason that it provides a broad bearing seat for the pipe.

It is t'o be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope ofthe subjoined claims.

I claim:

l. A device of the character describedvcomprising a flexible article embracing member, and a yoke formed of a pair of complementary members each secured to one end of said flexible member, one of said complementary members being provided with an opening extending longitudinally with respect to the exible member and surrounded by the material of such complementary member, the other complementary member having a projecting portion corresponding in shape and size to and movable longitudinally into said opening, the members of said pair having portions facing in the direction of said exible member and lying substantially in the same plane to be engaged by a common securing element.

2. A device of the character descriibed kcomprising a flexible article embracing member, a yoke formed of a pair of complementary members each secured to one end of said flexible member, one of said complementary members being provided with an opening therethrough substanstantially longitudinally with respect to the flexible member and surrounded by the material of such complementary member, and being further provided with a second opening adjacent said first named opening to receive a portion of the other complementary member inserted thereinto longitudinally with respect to said flexible member, and a fastening member adapted to be. inserted through said first named opening'and provided with a head arranged inwardly of said yoke, said complementary members being provided with inner face portions lying substantially in a common plane at right angles to theplane of the flexible member and engageable with the head of said fastening member.

3. A device of the character described comprising a flexible article embracing member, a yoke formed of a pair of complementary members each secured to one end of said flexible member, one of said complementary members being provided with a relatively large flat integral head arranged substantially at right angles to the plane of the flexible member and having its outer face engageable against a support, said head being provided with an opening arranged substantially longitudinally of said member for the reception of a fastening element for securing said head to the support, said head being further provided with an opening adjacent and parallel to said first named opening, both of said openings being surrounded by the material of said head, the other complementary member having a projection corresponding in shape and size to said second named opening and adapted to be inserted thereinto substantially longitudinally with respect to said flexible member, said last named complementary member having a shoulder lying in the plane of the inner face of said head, and a fastening element passing through said first named opening and having a head engageable with said shoulder and the inner face of said head, said first named opening embracing said fastening element to prevent lateral movement of said head with respect to said fastening element.

4. A device constructed in accordance with claim 3 wherein each complementary member is provided with an arm connected to one end of said flexible member, said arms having shoulders engageable with the head of said fastening element to prevent rotation thereof.

5. A device of the character described comprising a flexible article embracing member, a yoke formed of a pair of complementary members each secured to one end of said iiexible member, one of said complementary members being provided with a relatively large fiat integral head arranged substantially at right angles to the plane of the exible member and having its outer face engageable against a support, said head being provided with an opening arranged substantially longitudinally of said member for the reception of a. fastening element for securing said head to the support, said head being further provided with an opening adjacent and parallel to said first named opening, said openings being entirely surrounded by the material of said head, the other complementary member having a projection corresponding in shape and size to said second named opening and adapted to be inserted thereinto longitudinally with respect to said article embracing member, said last named complementary member having a shoulder lying in the plane of the inner face of said head, and a fastening element passing through said last named opening and having a head engageable with said shoulder and the inner face of said head.

6. A device of the character described comprising a iiexible article embracing member, and a yoke formed of a pair of complementary members each secured to one end of said flexible member, one of said complementary members vbeing provided with a relatively large fiat integral head arranged substantially at right angles to the plane of the flexible member and having its outer face engageable against a support, said head being provided with an opening arranged substantially longitudinally of said member for the reception of a fastening element for securing said head to the support, said head being further provided with an opening adjacent and parallel to said rst named opening and communicating therewith, said head having a continuous unbroken peripheral portion surrounding said openings, the other complementary member having a projection corresponding in shape and size to said second named opening and adapted to be inserted thereinto substantially longitudinally with respect to said embracing member, said last named complementary member having a shoulder lying in the plane of the inner face of said head.

HERBERT E. MILLER. 

